PFA SPOTLIGHT: Meet the PFA

3/18/2024 3:24 pm

This latest edition of Meet McKnight is focused on meeting Your PFA Board!  

 

The 2024-2025 Board consists of: 

 

President:  Laura Singer

Vice President:  Kristin Patterson

Secretary:  Danielle Smith

Treasurer:  Chris Lucatorto

Assistant Treasurer:  Kim Fennick

Webmaster:  Gabby Stubblefield

 

Let's learn more about Laura, Kristin, Danielle, and Kim today!

 

MCK Messages (MM):  What is your role on the PFA and how long have you been volunteering?

Laura:  I have been volunteering for 3 years and this is my 2nd year as President of the PFA . I run meetings, help organize events and help the school community work together to provide the best opportunities for our kids!

 

Kristin:  I’ve been volunteering for events since my son was in kindergarten and became a board member in 2023. My main roles are to assist Laura and be a backup in her absence. I also oversee the committee chairs.

 

Danielle:  This will be my second year serving as Secretary for the PFA. Although my job description isn't terribly exciting - I primarily record and prepare minutes of our membership meetings and maintain the PFA's records - being a part of the Executive Board offers me insight into all the PFA does and helps me to (hopefully!) be a valuable resource for my fellow McKnight families!

 

Kim:  My role is to provide support to our PFA wherever it is needed! I have taken on this role just this school year but have volunteered in various school events for about 4 years!

 

MM:  How many kids do you have at McKnight?

Laura:  I have one child at McKnight, Reagan who is in 4th grade. I also have a 4-year-old son who attends Preschool that will be a future tiny tiger!

 

Kristin:  I have two: Max in 4th grade and Penny in 1st.

 

Danielle:  I have two daughters at McKnight Elementary. Jocelyn is in 5th grade and Talia is in 1st grade.

 

Kim:  I have 1 son, Liam, in 4th grade with Mr. Holleran.

 

MM:  Why did you decide to volunteer for the PFA?

Laura:  I volunteered for the PFA because I wanted to support my daughter's school in any way that I could. I love being actively involved and contributing to the success of our school community.

 

Kristin:  I absolutely love giving back to our community. McKnight is a wonderful school, and I love being involved and helping out where I can!

 

Danielle:  I wanted to get off the sidelines and be a part of it all. For me, the role of Secretary fits in my wheelhouse and gives me the chance to see the "big picture" of all the PFA does. I look forward to volunteering in other ways in the future! 

 

Kim:  School is such a huge aspect of a child’s life, and I wanted to be more involved for this reason.

 

MM:  What is your favorite thing about McKnight?

Laura:  There are too many to count! The supportive staff, the positive environment and its an amazing place for our kids to learn and grow!

 

Kristin:  How so many will go above and beyond to help your child succeed!

 

Danielle:  Without a doubt, my favorite thing about McKnight is its school spirit, for which I give a lot of credit to Dr. Shute and Mr. Gillis. The energy and enthusiasm they bring with them to school every day is truly impressive. Along with the amazing staff at McKnight, they really make McKnight feel like "A Big School with a Bigger Heart!"

 

Kim:  McKnight is a big school, but it’s also clear that Dr. Shute and Mr. Gillis, along with all their staff, care very much about each and every kid within their school!

 

MM:  What do you wish you knew about the PFA when you were new to McKnight? 

 

Kristin:  How much they truly do! It takes a village to make these events successful and before I was involved, I had no clue the amount of work they were doing for our kids and McKnight staff.

 

Danielle:  I wish I had known how many small ways there are to get involved. You don't have to attend every meeting, or be on the Board, or chair an event ... just get your feet wet with one or two activities and see where it takes you!

 

Kim:  That volunteering for the PFA isn’t scary and you aren’t alone! Offering to help out at events in any capacity is important and vital for all of these events to be fun and a great experience for the kids.

 

MM:  Is there anything you’d like to share with us or anything else you think our school community would find interesting?

Laura:  Fun and proud fact: My daughter Reagan is 4th generation of North Allegheny.

 

Kristin:  Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any one of us if you’re curious about ways you can help out!